Vibrator



y 22, 1962 J. J. HOUGHTALING 3,035,572

VIBRATOR Filed June 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN J. HOUGHTALI NG y 1962 J. J. HOUGHTALING 3,035,572

VIBRATOR Filed June 20, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J OHN d. HO UGHTALINS 3,635,572 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,572 VIBRATOR John J. Houghtaling, Glen Rock, N.J., assignor to Magic Fingers, Inc., Rochelle Park, N.J., a corporation Delaware Filed June 20, 1960, Ser. No. 37,429 6 Claims. (Cl. 128--33) The present invention relates to vibrators for box springs of beds and spring constructed furniture, and particularly to such a vibrator that is of a unitary construction and is supported in a manner to provide a localized vibratory action. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a vibrator of unitary construction that is attached to, and adapted to be solely supported by, certain of the springs of a box spring like construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a vibrator that can easily be attached to the spring element of a box spring or over-stuffed piece of furniture.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a vibrator that fits between adjacent spring coils and can be attached to the uppermost convolutions of the springs.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a unitary vibrator that is no thicker than the spring element of a box spring, so that it may be completely enclosed within the spring unit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a vibrator that will be simple to make, easy to install and require no maintenance.

In one aspect of the invention, a hollow, cup-shaped housing, which may be of cylindrical or other cross sectional shape, may have top closure means removably attached to the one end of the cup-shaped housing. Fixed to the inner surface of the top closure means and extending downwardly into said housing may be an electric motor, to the vertically disposed output shaft of which may be attached an eccentrically mounted member that is adapted to rotate in a plane including the spring unit to which the vibrator is attached. The eccentrically mounted member may be of such weight that it will produce a substantial reciprocating motion of the housing when the latter is suspended from a flexible, resilient mounting.

In another aspect of the invention, the diameter or maximum cross sectional dimension of the housing may be such that it will be freely received within the space defined by a plurality of adjacent coil springs in a standard box spring unit for a bed, or a standard spring construction for upholstered furniture and the like.

In still another aspect of the invention, lugs may be attached to the outer top surface of the top closure means of the housing. These lugs may be pairs of thin, annular members mounted on a stud with a spacer of smaller diameter therebetween, so that the annular members can receive between them a section of wire from which the coil springs are made.

In assembling the device to a box spring unit, it is only necessary to open the dust cover at the bottom of the unit and insert the housing between four adjacent coil springs, so that the top closure means of the housing is located at the top of the spring coils. The lugs are then attached to a portion of the wire forming each of the four adjacent coil springs in a manner such that vibratory action of the unit when in use will not act to release said lugs.

The above, other objects and novel features of the vibrator will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings which are merely exemplary.

In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a vibrator unit to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of the vibrator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of a box spring unit to which the vibrator has been attached;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of a box spring unit different in construction from that shown in FIG. 3, to which the unitary vibrator has been attached;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a day bed or couch to which two vibrator units have been attached;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bed to which a vibrator unit has been attached; and

FIG. 7 is a form of over-stuffed chair to which a separate vibrator unit has been attached to the spring seat and spring back constructions.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a vibrator including a cup-shaped, sheet metal housing 10. The housing 10 may have any desired cross sectional shape, and in the embodiment disclosed is shown as being cylindrical. A plate 11 may be provided with a depending flanged element 12 integral therewith. The flanged element 12 may frictionally engage the inner surface of the open end of the cup-shaped housing 10. The plate 11 may support an electric motor 13 between spaced yoke members 14 and 15 by two screws 16, only one of which is shown. Two other screws 17 (only one being shown) pass through the stator of the motor 13. The output shaft 18 is at right angles to the cover plate 11, and an eccentric weight 19 may be fixed to shaft 18 for rotation in a plane parallel with the plane of the plate 11.

The plate 11 may have fixed to it bolts 20 which may support washers 21 separated by a spacer 22 of smaller diameter than the washers 21. The washers 21 and spacers 22 may be of any material but preferably of sound deadening material such as a solid, non-metallic material.

The cup-shaped housing 10 may be covered with a noise absorbing cover 23. This cover may be of a quilted construction or corrugated construction such that contact between it and adjacent coil springs will not cause an audible noise.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are two standard forms of box springs manufactured. In FIG. 3, the one form comprises crisscross binding wires 24 and 25 that extend from frame to frame at right angles to each other and spaced so that they may be held in contact with the peripheries of each top convolution 26 of each coil spring 27 within the box spring unit by clip means 28.

This construction provides triangular openings 29 at the intersection of the wires 24, 25 and a peripheral portion of a top wire 26 of the coil springs 27. In assembling the vibrator to this form of spring unit, a portion of the bottom dust cover of the spring unit is opened and the vibrator inserted within the space formed by four adjacent coil springs 27. Each clip including the washers 21 is located within a triangular space 29 in a manner such that the crisscross wires 24, 25 at their points of intersection wedgingly lie between the washers 21 of the four lugs. In this way, as the vibrator gyrates in a plane parallel to the top of the spring unit, the forces generated do not tend to release the mounting clips.

The standard form of box spring unit shown in FIG. 4 may include clip members 30 extending between adjacent spring coils 27. The vibrator is inserted between four adjacent coils 27 of FIG. 4 in the same manner as explained with respect to FIG. 3. However, the top convolutions of the coils 27 are drawn together sutficiently to,

pass over the washers 21 and to be wedged between them in a manner shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, a couch C is shown as having a spring unit 31 to which is attached vibrator units 32 and 33 embodying the principles of the invention. The unit 32 may be applied to the spring unit 31 approximately one-third the distance from the head to the foot, while the unit 33 may be applied approximately one-third the distance from the foot to the head. The power supply cord 34 may be connected to a conventional timer switch 35 having a setting dial 36, and an inlet cord 37 may lead from switch 35 to a wall socket 38 or the like. By setting the dial 36 to any desired time interval, the vibrator unit 32 and/or the unit 33, which may be connected in parallel with unit 32, will vibrate the spring unit 31 with a gentle vibrating motion which will relax the muscles of the user reclining on the couch C.

Referring to FIG. 6, the unit 32 is shown as applied to a box spring unit 39 of a double bed 40. The unit 32 is shown installed on one side of the double bed 4%, and it is evident that other units may be attached in other parts of the bed if desired.

Referring to FIG. 7, a vibrator unit 32 is shown as applied to the spring construction of the back 41 of an upholstered chair 42, and a vibrator unit 33 is shown as applied to the spring construction of the seat 43.

Although the various features of the new and improved vibrator have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a plate; an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means having a slot with normally fixed opening space substantially equal to the thickness of the wire of said spring construction to be engaged thereby, the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said plate when held in operating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can he slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

2. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a plate; an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means comprising a pair of rigid washer means mounted on a holding member on said plate to provide a slot with a normally fixed opening space and adapted to clamp between them a wire having thediameter of the wire forming said spring construction to be engaged thereby, the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said plate when held in operating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can be slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said'slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

3. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a plate; an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft at right angles to said plate; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith in a plane parallel to said plate; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means having a slot with afixed opening space substantially equal to the thickness of the wires of said spring construction to be engaged thereby,

the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said plate when held inoperating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can he slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

4. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a plate; an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means comprising a pair of rigid insulating washer means mounted on a holding member on said plate to provide a slot with a fixed opening space and adapted to clamp between them a wire having the diameter of the wireforming said spring construction to be engaged thereby, the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said plate when held in operating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can be slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said. slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

5. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a cup shaped housing adapted to fit between more than two adjacent coil springs; a plate for said housing having a dimension substantially greater than the cross sectional dimension of said housing; means for attaching said housing to said plate;'an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means comprising a pair of rigid washer means mounted on a holding memher on said plate to provide a slot with a fixed opening space and adapted to clamp between them a wire having the diameter of thewire forming said spring construction to be engaged thereby, the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said plate when held in operating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can be slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

6. A vibrator for attachment to the wires of coil spring constructions of furniture and the like comprising a cup shaped housing adapted to fit between more than two adjacent coil springs; a plate for said housing having a dimension substantially greater than the cross sectional dimension of said housing; means for attaching said housing to said plate; an electric motor mounted on said plate with an output shaft; an eccentric weight mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith; and a plurality of attaching means, each attaching means comprising a pair of rigid insulating washer means mounted on a holding member on said plate to provide a slot with a fixed opening space and adapted 'to clamp between them a wire having a diameter of the wire forming said spring construction to be engaged thereby, the attaching means being radially located relative to the center of said plate on a locus slightly greater than the distance between portions of wires to be engaged by said slots and the center of said platewhen held in operating position by said wires, so that said attaching means can be slipped over said wires which will spring into place in said slots and thereby hold said vibrator in operating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,715,901 Blake, Aug. 23, 1955 2,894,505 Manausa July 14, 1959 2,951,478 Tompkins Sept. 6, 1960 cum... 

